The Numinous Sky
by Little Miss Bunny
Summary: Tsuna loved volleyball ever since he watched old videotapes on his mother's matches. For years, he dreamt of playing on the court with a team he could count on. It was long due for the Namimori High Men's Volleyball team to make a comeback anyway. Smart!Tsuna, Badass!Nana. Hints of All27.
1. Toss it to Me?

_Numinous (adj.) – filled with a sense of the presence of divinity_

* * *

"Hey, can you toss that to me?"

Takeshi blinked. He just happened to pass by a middle school field when the other second-grader called out to him. He raised the dirty volleyball he picked up from the floor in the air. "This?"

The smaller boy nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Toss it to me, please?"

Despite the boy's smaller stature, Takeshi knew a budding athlete when he saw one. He wasn't a baseball maniac for nothing, and his mom used to be an awesome volleyball player too! Automatically, he found kinship with the brunet. Anyone one who played sports was a friend on Takeshi's list (even though he easily made friends with everyone).

He nodded, grinning. "Okay!"

Takeshi pulled his arm back as if he were throwing a pitch, realized his mistake far too late. He rubbed the back of his head and laughed sheepishly. "Sorry, I was thinking about…baseball…"

The brunet vanished in a blur. Takeshi gaped when the boy sprinted across the field. He was fast, _really_ fast. His short legs looked like they were working overdrive and his eyes were trained on the sailing ball. Under the light, the looked more amber than brown. His focus was almost scary. Takeshi saw that in his mom when he watched old tapes of her volleyball matches. He couldn't help but admire the boy's determination. Finally, as the volleyball descended, the boy dove on the ground, his short arm barely reaching the ball. It sailed back in the air before falling a few feet away from the brunet, rolling for a few seconds.

The boy pouted as he looked over his shoulder. "Mou, it never goes far enough." He stood up, dusting off his dirty shirt and pants. Streaks of dirt painted his chubby cheeks and arms.

All Takeshi could think about was the boy running across the field. The more he thought about it, the more his heart raced against his chest. He had never felt so excited about anything other than baseball. Sure, his mom would always ask him if he wanted to give volleyball a try but baseball was his first love, his first precious memory with his dad.

"—ou there?" The other boy's voice snapped Takeshi out of his thoughts.

He blinked, staring at the brunet in front of him. He was a good few inches taller than him, Takeshi realized.

"That was so cool!" he blurted out while making ridiculous arm motions. "You were here and then you were suddenly over there! Like—Like Ultraman!"

The brunet blushed and scratched his cheek. "Ah, well, I, uh, thank you."

"What's your name? I'm Takeshi! I just moved here yesterday."

The brunet grinned. "I'm Tsuna! I've lived in Namimori for as long as I can remember."

They both laughed. It felt really nice, Takeshi thought. He didn't feel so alone anymore. He was worried about moving to Namimori.

Tsuna glanced at the setting sun with a frown. "Oh, I have to go back home. Mama will get worried."

Takeshi frowned. He didn't want to leave yet but his parents would get worried if he stayed out too long. He really liked his new friend. "Oh, okay."

"Where do you live?" Tsuna said, his eyes brightening. "I can walk you there so you don't get lost."

Takeshi instantly grinned. "Thanks! It took forever for me to find the grocery store. I don't know why my mom told me to go since I'm not that good with directions. But she sometimes forgets that too."

Tsuna gave him a thumbs-up. "Alright, let's go! Do you remember the neighborhood?"

"I think it started with a M? I know it's near Kokuyo."

"There's only two other neighborhoods near Kokuyo. I live in Midori."

"Oh! Yeah, that one. I live there!"

Tsuna was literally bouncing on his toes. "Really? I hope we're neighbors!"

They started to walk towards Midori, with Tsuna leading the way. He asked some questions here and there and let Takeshi talk as much as he wanted. Tsuna was a very good listener, Takeshi thought. He hadn't talked to someone for so long like this, other than his parents. Sure, he missed his friends back in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture—Namimori was pretty far and was in the Yamanashi Prefecture, which was right next to the Tokyo Prefecture—but he didn't mind making new ones here. And he had a feeling Tsuna would be just that.

"Hey, Tsuna," he said, "why were you all alone there? Did your friends leave early or something?"

The brunet's face fell, which made Takeshi regret asking. He had already grown fond of the energetic boy and hated to see him so sad.

"Well, this might sound weird but I don't…have any friends?"

Takeshi blinked. "What?" How could no one want to be friends with Tsuna? He was so nice and funny. Were there not a lot of kids in Namimori? Takeshi wished that was the answer.

"Ah, look we're almost there!" Tsuna said, quickly changing the topic. "See, it's not that far. Do you see your house?"

Takeshi frowned. It was true. They were getting closer to the familiar neighborhood and he could already see his house in the distance. It was big and painted in beige. It belonged to his mom's family before it was put up in the market. They had moved here to keep the house, plus, both of his parents missed Namimori, even though he'd never heard about it. It was a pretty small town though.

"That's mine," Takeshi said, pointing it out.

Tsuna grinned. "Oh, my house is right next to it! I didn't know it was you moving in."

That helped Takeshi feel a little bit better. His adorable friend was his neighbor—awesome! That would make things easier. He didn't have to get lost trying to find him tomorrow.

Tsuna was nice enough to drop Takeshi at his house first, even though the brunet's was closer. He played with the hem of his shirt as they stood outside the small house gate.

"I'll see you again, right, Takeshi?" he said hesitantly. "But you don't have to if you don't want to! I mean, it was just a suggestion. We don't have to meet again ever again if that's what you want! I'll understand."

"Hey, hey," Takeshi said, trying to calm his friend down. "I'd be happy to see you again, Tsuna! Besides, we're friends! Friends always see each other again!"

His heart nearly stopped when Tsuna looked up at him with such awe and adoration. He'd never felt so proud and happy for cheering someone up.

"Really?" Tsuna said with hope. "We're really friends?"

Takeshi ruffled his fluffy hair, which was soft underneath his hand. Tsuna squawked indignantly from the sudden contact, drawing a laugh from the taller boy. "Yeah, we're friends."

Tsuna grinned. "I'm glad."

"I'll see you around, Tsuna!"

"I'll see you again too, Takeshi!"

Takeshi rang his doorbell and waited for his mother to open the door for him. He didn't miss Tsuna waving at him and disappearing inside his own home. He smiled. Maybe Namimori wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

 **A/N I finally did it—lo and behold, peeps, another story to add to this bare crossover section! Seriously, KHR has so much flexibility it's insane how there's not a lot of crossovers. :^(**

 **So, this story will take place in the Haikyu universe as well, and I've already planned some of the more important roles for the characters. Compared to** _ **Komorebi**_ **, I'll be able to utilize more of the canon characters from KHR. I'm still debating on how to properly use the Haikyu characters as well, since most of the plot I planned so far will mainly be in Namimori (…and maybe Italy, hehe…). But, hey! There's a small hint in this chapter that alludes to the Haikyu universe. Let me know if you find it, hehe.**

 **I wanted to give you peeps the option to see how the story will unfold from the next chapter. I could continue with how Tsuna meets each of his guardian over the years until he reaches high school or I can just jump straight into the story! Let me know what you think, peeps!**

 **And yes, the mafia won't be involved in this story but I have other plans for how Vongola would be incorporated along with the Arcobaleno. No matter what I write, I can't pass up on some drama/angst so I'll be tackling a lot of sports' issues here to keep the realism alive, hehe.**

 **Thank you for reading! Leave a thought or two if you can! For any questions, I'll get back to you as soon as possible.**

 **I hope to see you again in the next chapter!**

 **Have a lovely day~**

 **Little Miss Bunny**


	2. Let's Go to the Extreme Together!

" _Make sure your worst enemy doesn't live between your own two ears."_ – Laird Hamilton

* * *

The cold morning air was a nice burn in his lungs. Ryohei jogged through the hilly streets of his town, a routine he came to enjoy immensely. It was about the crack of dawn, just as the people were waking up. All he had in mind was boxing, training, boxing, training. It was something that his father drilled in his head since he learned how to walk. His whole life revolved around the sport and he pushed forward as if everything he had was on the line.

"Onii-san!" a bright voice shouted in the distance.

Ryohei grinned when a familiar brunet came around the street corner, catching up easily with his pace. "Sawada!"

The smaller boy smiled. "Good morning, Onii-san!"

They soon fell into a comfortable silence as they ran up the narrow, steep steps to a local shrine. Ryohei started jabbing the air with swift punches, keeping a steady count, while they climbed higher and higher. He didn't know how he and Tsuna became morning jogging partners but he wasn't complaining. It was nice to have some company and the brunet had an extreme work ethic. Tsuna even ran with him to the end of his route and back, which was a testament to his stamina and endurance.

It had already been a few months but Ryohei grew quickly fond of the brunet. His mother was also a formidable athlete, a former member of the national women's volleyball team, and helped Japan secure third place in the Volleyball Women's World Championship seven years ago. Other than that, Ryohei didn't actually know the brunet that well—he was too busy training and missed a lot of school with all the boxing competitions his father signed him up for out of town. What he did know was that Tsuna was just as obsessed with volleyball as Ryohei was with boxing.

"Oh, Onii-san," Tsuna said suddenly. "You have another competition on Saturday, right?"

Ryohei grinned. "Yeah! It's in Tokyo! I'm extremely excited! It's the group stages before the junior nationals!"

Tsuna widened his eyes and looked at him with awe. "That's so cool! You're really going to nationals, Onii-san?"

"Of course! I'll make it there to the extreme! I'll come back with the gold!"

 _You have to_ , his father's voice whispered in the back of his head.

That slightly dampened Ryohei's mood. If he didn't make it in nationals, he didn't know what his father would think. Heck, what would Namimori think? He was their boxing star, their athletic prodigy who already made a few headlines in the bigger cities. If he didn't make it and get the gold, there was no point anymore.

"Of course!" Tsuna said, grinning. "Because Onii-san is the best boxer I know!"

Ryohei smiled and ruffled the brunet's sweaty hair. "Thanks, Sawada."

The brunet looked at him quizzically, unaccustomed to Ryohei's softer tone, but didn't question him. Instead, he swatted away Ryohei's hand almost playfully and pouted. "Stop that, Onii-san. Too many people keep touching my hair nowadays. It's annoying."

Ryohei barked out laughing. "Hey, Sawada. Why don't you come join the boxing club? It would be extremely great!"

"Eh, our school doesn't have a boxing club. Can we even get one?"

"I was planning on making one soon!"

"You're only a third-grader, Onii-san!"

"Anyone can do boxing—nothing matters when you have the skills for it! Come on, Sawada, it'll be fun! You're an extremely good athlete!"

"Wow, that sounds like something from a movie! You're so cool, Onii-san!" Tsuna faltered a bit. "Thank you, but I was thinking of joining the volleyball club."

"Eh? Why not come to boxing instead? It's an extreme sport and cooler than volleyball!"

Tsuna grinned. "That's because you started with boxing, Onii-san! I love volleyball because it's a team sport! With boxing, it gets lonely in the ring, I think. Sure, you have your coach and your fans but I want to play with friends on the court! I just think it's more fun that way." An awed look overcame his eyes that slightly captivated Ryohei. "My dream is to play on the court with a team like Mama's! You should watch some of her videos, Onii-san! When the ball goes all the way across the net and people are diving everywhere—it's so cool! And the crowd always goes wild when a point scores, too!"

Ryohei listened to Tsuna endlessly rant about everything he loved about volleyball. He couldn't help but smile at the boy's enthusiasm. It was extremely contagious. He reached over and ruffled the brunet's hair again.

"Onii-san!" Tsuna protested.

"Come on, Sawada! We still need to go another mile! Let's go to the extreme together!"

Tsuna grinned. "Okay! Let's go, Onii-san!"

Ryohei could get used to this routine. It was a nice constant in his life, somewhere outside of the ring. If only he could ever talk about boxing like Tsuna did with volleyball.

* * *

 **A/N I smell some Ryohei angst coming up :^)**

 **Thank you so much for reviewing, favoriting, and putting this story in your alert section! Makes me happy to see that others liked this crossover!**

 **I've decided to go with Tsuna meeting the guardians before the high school arc. I'd rather not go through flashbacks, hehe. Currently he and Takeshi are both second-graders. Hibari, Mukuro, and Ryohei are a year older. I also decided which role they'll take up in the team. Try to guess which ones' which!**

 **Also, to clarify some things, Vongola and the Arcobaleno are still a thing but they are not connected to the mafia. They'll have a different role in this story. I don't know how I'd be able to get the mafia involved in this when volleyball will be the main focus. I hope you understand, peeps!**

 **Another shameless self-advertising again but I went and actually published a new crossover story with KHRxPJO. I couldn't resist, peeps…**

 **Thank you so much for reading! Leave a thought or two if you can. I'll try to respond to any questions as soon as possible!**

 **I hope to see you in the next chapter!**

 **Have a lovely day~**

 **Little Miss Bunny**


	3. Kill or Be Killed

" _Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much._ _"_ – Hellen Keller

* * *

Namimori was ruled over by its founding family: the Hibari Clan. It was no secret that it was part of the yakuza, but no one said anything about it. They didn't want to be singled out. Besides, the Hibari Clan was their protector. No point in fighting against the ones protecting them.

Hibari had been raised to be the best there is from a very young age. He excelled in academics and was already attending Yumei Private High School at ten-years-old; his father took him to some meetings in Tokyo with other yakuza families where he quickly learned how to blackmail and intimidate; his mother drilled proper etiquette in his head until he couldn't pour any more tea from the strain in his arms; his aunt trained him since he could learn how to walk, and now he could beat men twice his size without breaking a sweat.

He was the perfect heir, and was content with his relatively quiet life. There were no obstacles—he'd plow through them anyway—or disturbances that threw him off. Just stability and a steady pace.

Until a volleyball soared over his house walls and plopped into the pond. Hibari's eye twitched as the ball bobbed up and down in the clear water. His aunt, who was the only other person in the house, laughed quietly behind her fan.

"It must be the neighborhood kids," she said in a light voice, amused. "Why don't you return it to them, Kyoya?"

Hibari glared at his laidback aunt. "It's their fault. They won't get it back."

Yume rolled her eyes. "How petty."

"—eshi, why did you throw it that far?" a voice said from outside the gates. "I'll never get it back!"

Someone else laughed. "Sorry, Tsuna! It was a cool pitch though!"

"It's not a baseball, Takeshi! You don't throw it like that! How will I get it back? This is Hibari-san's house!"

"Why don't we just ring the doorbell?"

"Because this is Hibari-san's house."

"So? What's the big deal?"

His friend sighed. "They basically own Namimori, Takeshi." He lowered his voice to a whisper but Hibari and his aunt knew what he was saying. They weren't deaf or stupid. "Everyone thinks they're yakuza and I think they are."

"Really? That's so cool!"

Yume snorted before snapping her fan close. "Kyoya"—She unexpectedly kicked him out of his spot. The boy didn't even spare a thought about her grace—"answer the door."

Hibari just glared at her, silently vowing to not hold back in their evening training sessions—he would break _bones_ , which was impossible with his aunt, but he'd try—and stood up with as much grace as he could muster. He dusted off his gray kimono and headed towards the gates.

The chattering instantly stopped when he forcefully opened the door halfway. He scowled at the two boys in front of him. One was taller than he was with black hair and brown eyes, but that didn't deter him. Hibari could handle any herbivore. The other one was shorter than them both with strangely fluffy brown hair and big brown eyes. He reminded Hibari of a bunny rabbit.

"Oh, uh, Hibari-san!" the bunny said. "I didn't know you were home."

It was clear that the brunet was afraid of him, but there was a hint of admiration and curiosity in his eyes that disturbed Hibari. He was more used to being feared.

"Hi!" the tall boy said, waving with a friendly smile. "I'm Yamamoto Takeshi. I just moved here a few weeks ago."

Hibari didn't even bother with the formal introductions. His mother would castrate him but she wasn't here. Sue him. "What do you want, herbivore?"

Yamamoto blinked but still had that easy smile on his face. "Herbivore? I eat meat, too. Doesn't that make me an omnivore though?"

"Can we get my volleyball back, Hibari-san?" the bunny said timidly, fidgeting under his sharp gaze. "I'm so sorry but Takeshi threw it too far and we didn't realize that your house was right here and—"

"No."

The bunny wilted. His lips trembled as he looked down at his dirty sneakers. On the other hand, there was a slight shift in Yamamoto's demeanor; it was so subtle that for a second, Hibari thought he had misread the him. There was an underlying ferocity within the younger boy that he masked with bright smiles and an easygoing nature—like the perfect predator luring in unsuspecting prey.

Was that why he was hanging out with this bunny? Hibari thought quizzically. To ensnare him at the right moment? Or was it protecting him? Nonetheless, it intrigued him. He may have to keep an eye out for them.

"Did the ball hit anything?" Yamamoto said lightly.

"No," was Hibari's curt response. If it did, he wouldn't hesitate to bite them to death; then he would be bitten to death by his mother. She was an extremely materialistic person, and Hibari could recite all the price tags on their property without a second thought. If something broke, he'd have to break too, regardless of his innocence. Simple.

"Then why don't you just give it to us? Tsuna said he was sorry."

So, the bunny was Sawada Tsunayoshi. There was only one person in Namimori with that name and it wasn't hard to know who his mother was. She was practically revered for her past athleticism in… _volleyball_. Hibari slightly wrinkled his nose in distaste. He despised the sport.

Tsuna sighed. "It's okay, Takeshi. I think I have some extra allowance to buy another one."

"That was your first volleyball though."

Tsuna raised his hands to placate his friend. "I could always get another one. Don't worry about it!" He looked at Hibari with sad eyes. Hibari denied any disappointment on making him unhappy. It was his friend's fault anyway. "I'm really sorry, Hibari-san. I hope nothing got damaged." He bowed his head. "Have a good day. Come on, Takeshi. Let's go get my wallet."

Hibari closed the door with more force than necessary. He glanced at the floating volleyball with utter hatred. Despite being wet, it was clearly worn and had been used a lot. He picked it up and chucked it at his aunt. Yume caught it easily with a giggle.

"My, my, Kyoya," she said. "How rude of you. They seemed like nice boys. Tsunayoshi is quite an adorable child too." She tapped her fan lightly on her pink lips. "Doesn't he remind you of, I don't know, a baby bunny?" Her lips quirked up in a sly smile. "Don't _you_ like bunnies?"

"Shut up, carnivore," Hibari said, sitting back down on his usual spot.

"This is why you'll be forever alone," Yume said dramatically. "You do know that your mother wants grandchildren, right? And stop scowling. You're going to get premature wrinkles."

Hibari glared at her, but she wasn't fazed. He looked at the volleyball in her hand with disgust. "Throw that away."

Yume raised a brow and threw it back at him. "It's not my problem. You do it."

Hibari clenched the ball tightly in his hands, his fingertips turning white from the pressure. Volleyball was beneath the Hibari family. It took his older cousin, Fon, away from home. They had grown up together when Hibari was born. He was a worthy carnivore in his own right, but more of an omnivore. Fon was (frustratingly) a pacifist and wasn't fond of fighting like Hibari was, despite his tremendous talent. Instead, he got into volleyball of all things when he went abroad to visit a pen pal. Then, he left to pursue it.

It was petty of Hibari to hate something so much irrationally. No, it _was_ rational. Volleyball took the only tolerant person in his life away from him, someone he considered his rival. If there was one thing Fon was good at, it was being better than him in everything, including temperament. So, what if Hibari was a bit too bloodthirsty at a young age? It was kill or be killed in the world, he thought bitterly.

"You miss him, don't you?" Yume's soft voice drifted in the air.

Hibari tensed but didn't give his aunt the satisfaction of looking at his face. He was done with her teasing today. He wasn't willing to have his pride stripped down even further.

"He's very happy, Kyoya," Yume continued, as if she was talking about the weather. "He's doing what he wants to do."

"He's not worthy of being the heir," Hibari spat.

"That's why we have you." Yume regarded him with unreadable eyes. "Is there something you'd like to tell me, Kyoya?"

Hibari pursed his lips, not granting her with a response. He left his aunt without looking back, walking towards his room, which was in the more secluded east wing. On the way, he dumped the volleyball in the trash.

He wanted Fon to come back so he could bite him to death for leaving. What about me? a small part of him whispered, as he shifted through some small business deals. Hibari gritted his teeth. No, he was a _carnivore_. There was no room for any weakness. If there was one thing Fon's departure had taught him, it was that there was no one to look out for you except yourself.

And Hibari was more than capable of doing that.

* * *

 **A/N Gah, I** **'** **m so sorry this took a while to update! Here** **'** **s a slightly longer chapter as an apology, haha.**

 **It** **'** **s not really Hibari bonding with Tsuna, but more of a brief meeting and establishing his character. I feel he** **'** **ll be one of the more difficult characters to get involved in the future and having him easily join Tsuna** **'** **s growing team would be unrealistic. Additionally, Tsuna** **'** **s team isn** **'** **t even concrete yet at this point. All the characters so far either has different priorities (Yamamoto with baseball and Ryohei with boxing) or avoids it in Hibari** **'** **s case. I did have fun incorporating Fon in his life though. Guess who he** **'** **s abroad with and where, hehe.**

 **Also, I know that there's no such thing as** **Yumei Private High School in canon, but there is a middle school with the same name that Shoichi attends. Let's just pretend there's also a high school version, haha.**

 **I have a tendency of giving Hibari an aunt in my stories, haha. To clear things up, Yume is Fon** **'** **s mother and the eldest sister of the current Hibari boss, who is Hibari** **'** **s father. Despite her older age, Yume is a woman so the title of boss falls to Hibari** **'** **s father, the first son. Fon was originally the heir since he is the next eldest male in line, but relinquishes the title to have fun abroad, haha. So, now it falls to Hibari.**

 **A bit of shameless advertising here again but I put up a fun fic of drabbles/one-shots with various Tsuna pairings based on some songs that hit me with inspiration (requests will also be taken!). If you** **'** **d like, check it out!**

 **Please let me know your thoughts about the story! It** **'** **d be great to get more feedback on how it is so far. I** **'** **ll try to answer questions as soon as I can!**

 **Thank you so much for reading! I hope to see you again in the next chapter.**

 **Have a lovely day~**

 **Little Miss Bunny**


	4. The Slightest Misstep

" _Family is not an important thing. It's everything."_ – Michael J. Fox

* * *

Mukuro never denied the fact that he was a spoiled child. His mother was a rich Italian heiress and his father had owned one of the largest companies in Japan—what more could he ever want? He definitely didn't want Nagi, his little sister. She had been a "pleasant" surprise to his beautiful mother but nonetheless doted on while she slowly grew in her womb. It was unexpected, it was irritating, and it was _dreadful_.

No, he didn't consider himself petty—he was worse than that. As soon as Nagi was born, Mukuro made sure that her life was sweet, sweet hell. He'd steal all her toys, break her cribs and cut her blankets with scissors, and even mutilated her dolls. When she got older enough to talk, he'd make sure his parents focused on him and only him just so he could rub it in her chubby face and relish the confusion in her large, doe-like eyes. She wasn't cute. She was hideous.

However, he made one mistake—he misjudged his parents' intelligence.

His mother was a soft-spoken woman, which Nagi inherited, but she was ruthless underneath her deceivingly sweet appearance (Mukuro was always proud to say he took after her in that aspect). She separated them when they got older and made sure to hug and kiss Nagi in front of the older boy, which only made Mukuro angrier and Elda smugger (quietly of course). His father had sat him down and lectured him on family and more insignificant things that he didn't bother to listen to. However, Hiro was stubborn and dragged him out on those father-son outings that required too much sweat and running.

But…Mukuro had regretted not appreciating his kind father more.

In an instant, his father was taken from them because of a fool's mistake. Mukuro was still bitter and furious at himself for it, and he couldn't explain why. Emotions were a foreign area for him. Chrome was more adept in that department, though she was _too_ emotional (thanks to him—ah, he could be quite the joker). Mukuro had spent too much time latching onto material goods, things easily discarded and replaced. He thought people worked the same way, that they'd easily come and go—he again underestimated how short and fleeting lives were.

He may be coping in the worst ways possible, but all Mukuro needed was his sister and his mother. He would protect them with his life, he vowed. Of course, he never directly apologized to his sister for the terrible things he put her through but she was a smart girl. She'd know. He wasn't the hands-on type either. He preferred to pull the strings from the shadows and sweet-talk his way into people's heads before breaking them apart. Ah, well, his mother was worse than he was.

So, when Mukuro saw his little sister come out of Namimori Elementary School with an equally petite brunet, he was suspicious and already thinking of ways to get the boy off Nagi's back. He narrowed his eyes imperceptibly when the boy smiled brightly at Nagi and wave before taking off. His sister surprisingly said bye back and waved.

Her single violet eye brightened when she saw Mukuro by the gates, and she ran to his side immediately. "Onii-san."

Mukuro gave her a pleasant smile. "Nagi-chan." His blue eyes slightly narrowed when he noticed the Band-Aids on her knees. "What happened to your knees?"

Nagi smiled nervously and smoothed out her skirt as if it'd grow longer and cover the Band-Aids. "Ah, I fell, Onii-san."

"You _fell_?"

Mukuro was practically a walking lie-detector, and he unhappily admitted that he wouldn't be breaking children's minds today. Plus, Nagi had lost her right eye in the accident a month ago and had limited peripheral vision, so it wasn't a surprise that she did fall. She wasn't clumsy, she was handicapped.

Furthermore, Mukuro didn't want to take any chances that his sister might be bullied. It was why they even moved out of Kokuyo a few days ago. Mukuro didn't mind though. The Namimori district was quite pleasant and his mother and sister thought the same.

Nagi chewed on her lip. "I fell during lunch." She looked down at her pristine dress shoes. "But Tsuna-kun helped me…"

The brunet boy from before flashed in Mukuro's mind. "Who's Tsuna-kun?"

"Ah, well"—Nagi fidgeted under her brother's gaze—"he's the one I waved to."

Mukuro hummed to himself and gently ushered his sister towards the direction of their new home. "I see. Is he nice?"

Nagi's sullen face morphed instantly, a red blush painting her chubby cheeks. "Yes, he's very nice! He took me to the nurse to get me Band-Aids and sat with me in lunch too. Takeshi-kun is also very nice." She giggled behind her hand. "They're both very silly."

Mukuro couldn't help but smile and ruffle Nagi's hair. It was nice to see her smile. She rarely had any reason to be happy (no thanks to him). Smiling was healthy; it meant good things. Nagi might heal. Maybe it wasn't a bad choice to move here after all.

Although, he'd keep an eye on this Tsuna-kun and Takeshi-kun. He just wanted to cover all of his bases, that's all.

Nagi, though, knew him too well. She tugged his sleeve with a scowl that looked more like a pout. "You're not going to bother them, Onii-san, right? They really are nice. I like them."

Mukuro patted her head. "Of course, Nagi-chan. What kind of brother would I be if I didn't? Onii-san just wants to make sure they're treating you well. That's all."

His sister didn't look convinced but sighed anyway. She knew that it was useless to deter him from whatever he set his mind to. "Please don't chase them away. I do really like them. They said I was their friend."

Mukuro smiled bitterly. "That's what your _friends_ back in Kokuyo said too."

Nagi didn't speak the rest of the way home.

* * *

True to his word, Mukuro kept a wary eye on this Tsuna-kun and his baseball-obsessed friend. He was first baffled by their energy, especially Tsuna. The brunet looked utterly harmless, adorable even, if Mukuro could ever admit it; but the enthusiasm and passion that oozed from his small body was contagious, infecting anyone who paid attention to him.

Mukuro hated him.

Even if Nagi was smiling more around the boy, even if Nagi laughed at whatever Yamamoto did, even if Nagi spent more time talking about them than Mukuro liked, he still hated him.

Tsuna reminded him of his father. All passion and energy with no results or rewards—what was the point in thtat? Oh, Mukuro researched the boy, both of them actually. He knew about Tsuna's love for volleyball, despite being laughed at by most of his peers. He could see why. Tsuna was smaller than most boys his age and seemed like more bark than bite. A harmless Chihuahua.

He despised the way Tsuna practiced after school in the fields and asked Yamamoto for help. What was the point in pouring all your energy into something so trivial? They were insignificant and temporary, merely a hobby to pass the time. There were more things to focus on and where your energy was best spent. The school's volleyball club kept him only as a water boy and the advisor was rarely around, too busy with Mukuro's math teacher in the supply closet.

Mukuro had played on his old middle school's team but turned his back on them to take care of Nagi. Volleyball was just that—a hobby. He had only joined because Nagi was interested in the sport and he wanted to show her that he was better at it (and everything else) than she was. He definitely deserved the Brother of the Year award.

The other thing that annoyed him was that Tsuna quietly took the club's criticism and watched them play dutifully from the sidelines. It also annoyed Yamamoto if his imperceptible sharp eyes were any indication. The cheerful boy was actually quite dangerous like him: pleasant on the outside, venomous on the inside. It was amusing but Mukuro could see him as a potential threat.

He finally decided to leave the boys alone only to see Nagi smile more. Still, he didn't dismiss the fact that Tsuna and his friend could corrupt Nagi's mind. She was too trusting, too kind, too soft—anything could happen and Mukuro will not see her get hurt anymore.

He'd be waiting in the shadows like always and be more than happy to tear them apart if they made the slightest misstep. In fact, he hoped they did.

* * *

 **A/N Ahhhh, this was probably short—too short.**

 **So, Mukuro is finally introduced (and most likely a sociopath). I'm still trying to figure out how to have "Chrome" incorporated or to just stick with Nagi. If you have any ideas, my body is ready, ahaha. Throw 'em at me, peeps.**

 **In this chapter, there's a year skip from the last chapters and I want to clarify the characters' ages so far. Tsuna, Nagi, and Takeshi are in the fourth grade now. Mukuro and Ryohei are in the sixth grade. Kyoya should also be in the sixth grade but he's smart and in high school so there's that, haha. Hayato will be the next one and last to be introduced but he'll be Tsuna's age. I can't fit Lambo on their team just yet since but I'll find a way to shoe him in their somehow.**

 **Finally, the intros are coming to a close and we're going to jump ahead to the high school era after Hayato's chapter. Yay, we'll finally see them struggle to pass as a legitimate team, hehe. I've also already planned which roles the guardians will have—take a guess at who's who!**

 **Thank you all for reading! I'm glad to see that people are still sticking with this story, ahaha. Please leave a thought or two if you can (reviews make me a happy camper, hehe) and I'll try to answer questions as soon as I can.**

 **Have a lovely day~**

 **Little Miss Bunny**


	5. To Try or Not to Try

" _Friends are the siblings God never gave us."_ – Mencius

* * *

When Hayato first saw Sawada Tsunayoshi, he immediately disliked him. Well, Hayato disliked everyone, except his mother, but he digressed.

After an intense custody battle back in Italy—he never knew how terrifying his soft-spoken mother could be—Lavina had taken her son away from his father's family and moved back to an obscure place called Namimori in Japan, her hometown. Hayato had gone with her willingly, eager to forget the miserable life he had and start anew with the only person who ever truly showed him kindness.

There were many things Hayato couldn't tolerate, ranging from stray eraser marks to stupid people, but the one thing he could tolerate was his kind and gentle mother. So, when she told him that they'd be meeting up with some old friends of her's, he just nodded and followed. This got an exasperatedly fond shake of her head that Hayato wasn't so sure about, but he got a hug, too, so he guessed that was okay.

When they got in the cab, the taxi driver had said some things to his mother that made her only smile and laugh politely. Her unease wasn't lost to Hayato so he made sure to glare daggers at the back of the driver's head, satisfied when he saw a bead of sweat on the other's head. After none-too-subtly kicking the back of the man's chair when they arrived at their destination, Hayato made sure that the driver didn't get too handsy when he helped his mother on her wheelchair.

The man left rather quickly after. Hayato couldn't help but smile a bit when Lavina patted his head before pushing her through the small gates of a modest-looking home. He reached to press the doorbell and patiently waited for someone to open the door.

"They also have boys your age, Hayato," Lavina rambled on with a bright smile. "It'd be wonderful if you become friends with them! They're also attending the same school as you, too!"

"I'm fine," Hayato grumbled.

He didn't need friends. All he needed was his mother.

Lavina looked at him with a heartbroken look on her beautiful face, making him shift uncomfortably. "Will you try for me at least?"

Hayato huffed. " _Okay_."

His mother instantly brightened and clapped her hands, making Hayato think that he must've fell under another one of her traps. "Thank you, Hayato! You're such a wonderful son!"

Thankfully, the door opened just in time to save Hayato from more embarrassment. A short boy with fluffy brown hair and caramel-brown eyes stood at the doorway. He glanced curiously at a smiling Lavina, which got him a harsh glare from Hayato, silently daring him to say anything. The brunet flinched but opened the door wider nonetheless.

"Are you Lavina-san?" he said a bit shyly.

Lavina smiled at the boy. "Yes, and you must be Tsunayoshi-kun."

Appeased by the woman's gentle nature, Tsuna smiled brightly. "You can call me Tsuna, Lavina-san! Ah, do you need help?"

"I'm fine, dear. Hayato is all the help I need!"

Said boy glared at Tsuna when he pushed his mother inside. The brunet ignored admirably him by moving the shoes that were in the way and closed the door behind them.

What followed was probably the strangest dinner Hayato had ever sat in on. The people who chattered the most was Yamamoto Amaya and her son, Takeshi, while her husband, Tsuyoshi, effortlessly reigned them both in when they talked a bit too much. Amaya was tall, easily the tallest woman there, with black hair tied in a ponytail and bright brown eyes. Takeshi looked like a mini version of Tsuyoshi, but had his mother's eyes and smile.

Hayato couldn't follow their flighty conversation for the life of him. Their attention span was the same as that of a goldfish. One moment they were talking about baseball and players' stats then they would move on to stray cats in the neighborhood and now…now they were talking about confetti?

He could only stare in slight disgust and bafflement while the mother and son duo dominated the conversation at the dining table. His mother seemed really happy though, laughing and even adding in a thought or two when she could, and that was enough for him to bear through this bizarre meeting. Well, Tsuyoshi made really good sushi, too—he'd give him that.

On the other hand, the Sawada duo seemed a bit tamer in comparison, though they tended to get excited, too, especially when it came to recounting their old volleyball days—well, more like the women's old volleyball days, but Tsuna seemed just as thrilled. Hayato was more shocked at the fact that his _mother_ had been a part of their team.

"Ah, I miss this," Amaya said, grinning. "I even kind of miss Elda. Anyone know how she's doing?" She suddenly perked up. "Oh, remember that game we had against Kokuyo?"

Tsuna immediately brightened. "Which one, Amaya-oba-chan?"

Amaya grinned mischievously. "Well, it was when we first met Elda. She was the middle blocker on the opposing team. We were in what, high school?"

Nana nodded as she carefully peeled an apple. "Yes, one of our first matches, too. The very first actually."

"Oh, oh, and what happened?" Tsuna said, nearly standing on his chair.

Hayato had to move his cup away before the brunet could knock it over. He glared at Tsuna's elbow while his mother giggled.

"Elda was a bi—Uh, rude?" Amaya laughed sheepishly when Tsuyoshi gave her a pointed look. "Anyways, we actually lost to them, but there was no denying that she was a really good player. Had a weird way of blocking but it worked for her. Never understood it. One moment you'd think that she'd go to the left and then all of a sudden, she's in your face and smacking the ball back in your face." Amaya growled. "She always did that to me."

Takeshi laughed. "That sounds funny, kaa-chan. Did it hurt a lot?"

Hayato narrowed his eyes. Was it possible for a kid to be this stupid?

Amaya laughed, too. "Of course, it did! Elda was a skinny thing but she was really strong! Oh, and Lavina was the only one who could make her do anything."

Hayato blinked and stared at his blushing mother.

"Ah, well, she's not all that difficult to talk to," Lavina said.

Nana chuckled. "Well, Elda was always demanding, but without her, we wouldn't have gone so far." There was a wistful edge in her voice. "I really do miss everyone. Oh, and Tsu-kun is thinking of joining the volleyball team in Namimori Middle. Isn't that great?"

Lavina smiled brightly. "That sounds wonderful, Tsuna-kun! Why, I would do anything to play again!"

Hayato scowled at the way his mother smiled at the sheepish brunet, who mumbled some shy thanks; however, his mind was reeling at the fact that his _mother_ had played _volleyball_ of all things. She was a wonderful pianist so imagining her hitting volleyballs across the court was very hard to imagine.

Ayama pouted. "Takeshi, what about you? Why don't you give volleyball a go, huh? I promise that it's really fun!"

Her son just smiled at her. "I want to join the baseball team!"

"Tsuyoshi, fix your mistake."

The said man just rolled his eyes. "Baseball was and still is _your_ obsession, too, dear."

Lavina quickly intervened before Ayama could punch her husband in the face. "Well, what were you thinking of doing, Tsuna-kun?"

Now, Hayato knew what volleyball was, but he was never privy to the rules of the sport. All he knew was that it was basically hitting a ball over the net countless times before one team screwed up and missed. Nothing really spectacular for him. Archery was his preferred sport—it was quiet and required less sweat. Plus, it was a solo sport (he'd _never_ join a team).

Tsuna rubbed the back of his head. "I was thinking about being a libero."

Ayama grinned as she pinched the boy's cheek and cooed. "Oh, just like your mother."

The brunet nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, because the libero makes sure that the ball never touches the court and everyone gets to hit it over the net! It also looks really cool! You're running everywhere and having everyone's back and it's the best feeling ever when you pass the ball to a teammate! Kaa-chan said that as long as the ball never hits the ground, the game isn't over! So, it's my job to make sure it never gets to that point!"

Hayato furrowed his brows a little, unconsciously storing the term away in his mind. "Libero" meant "free" in Italian and with what little information Tsuna gave, he supposed it fit. Still, it was unnerving at how his mother smiled nostalgically and nodded in agreement while Tsuna talked.

"Nana was a wonderful libero," Lavina said. "Why, she was one of the best libero Japan has ever seen!"

"Oh, Lavina, don't say that," Nana said, smiling. "Don't forget that you were also an amazing setter, too."

Hayato widened his eyes. "Is that true, Mama?"

Lavina blinked. "Ah, well…"

"Come on, don't tell me you never told him about your glory days, Lavina," Ayama said, grinning. "Your mother was a hel— _great_ setter. She made loads of close calls that saved us tons of time. Oh, like in—"

"Midori High!" Tsuna said, his eyes wide and sparkling. "Lavina-san, when you made that dump shot in the last minute, that was so _cool_! You should've seen the other team's faces!"

Lavina blushed. "Ah, that was nothing, Tsuna-kun. If Elda and Ayama hadn't blocked the ball a second time, we wouldn't have been able to go on to the next set."

"Geez, don't sell yourself short, Lavina," Ayama said. "You were just as important to the team like everyone else. Every point matters."

Nana nodded with a kind smile. "Yes, so don't put yourself down like that, Lavina-chan. And, Tsu-kun, it's not polite to interrupt someone while they're talking."

Tsuna flushed in embarrassment. "Ah, I'm sorry, kaa-chan."

Takeshi laughed. "Tsuna always gets excited when it comes to volleyball."

Ayama slung a long arm over Takeshi's shoulders. "Come on, Takeshi! Give it a shot, huh? I bet you'd make a great spiker! Maybe a blocker, too. You're so tall and you have great athleticism already!"

"I like baseball though."

"Volleyball is _so_ much more fun!"

Hayato jumped a bit when a small plate of sliced apples slid in front of him. He looked up to see Tsuna smile brightly at him.

"Here, Gokudera-san! Do you like apples?"

Hayato pursed his lips, resisting the urge to retort with a smartass comment. And where were all those sparkles and flowers were coming from? He felt a small pinch on his leg that made him tense. Lavina gave him a sweet, innocent smile. Like hell he'd say thank you. He was still bitter at the fact that Tsuna knew something about his mother that he didn't.

"Thank you, Tsuna-kun," she said. "He does. That's very sweet of you."

Tsuna still looked a bit unsure but nodded nonetheless and returned to whatever conversation the others were having. Hayato didn't touch the apples.

After Ayama and Tsuyoshi offered to give them a ride back home, Hayato immediately searched some videos on his mother's volleyball team. It made him upset that he wasn't privy to this part of his mother's life, even though he barely got to see her while he lived with his father. They had bonded over the piano on their very short and restricted meetings and only grew closer after her car accident. So, yeah, he might be a little irritated that he didn't know about this, but apparently Tsuna did.

"What are you doing, Hayato?"

The boy nearly jumped out of his skin when his mother wheeled into his room. The video of one of her matches was playing a bit loudly on his screen and he tried not to stutter too much in embarrassment.

"I—Well—I just wanted…to see."

Lavina smiled as she drew closer to his desk. Hayato couldn't quite pinpoint the look in his mother's eyes when she watched what appeared to be a younger Ayama jump high in the air with another girl to block a harsh spike.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Hayato said, almost petulantly. "I thought you'd tell me everything about you."

Lavina chuckled teasingly. "I never thought you'd be so interested in this, Hayato."

"That brat knew and I didn't."

"Don't call Tsuna-kun that, Hayato. That's not nice."

Hayato pulled a face that was a mix between a scowl and a pout. Well, he'd call it a scowl because he didn't do pouts. "It's not fair. It looks like a dumb sport, too."

"I thought the same thing."

Hayato blinked. "What? Then why did you join?"

A fond smile curved on Lavina's lips. "I preferred books to running when I was young and was never a strong child. But I found friends in the sport, people who would support me in and out of the court, and I never regretted joining them. They became my friends, my sisters, my _famiglia_." She reached out to take a hold of Hayato's hand, her hand cool against his warm skin. "And I hope you can find that here, too, _bambino_."

"I only need you."

Lavina gave him a sad smile, which made Hayato instantly feel like crap. "I thought the same, too, when I was your age. I always thought that all I needed was my grandmother. But later, you'll realize how lonely it is when you don't have many precious people in your life. That was why I came here, _bambino_ —for you. I want you to make friends here. I don't want you to have any regrets when you're older."

Hayato scowled but couldn't help finding the genuine worry in his mother's voice. He crossed his arms across his chest.

"I can't promise anything."

"Just try. For me, _bambino_?"

There was a moment of silence before Hayato slumped in defeat. He directed his gaze at the video again to see his much younger mother set the ball fluidly to an intimidating girl, who spiked the ball with tremendous strength. Swallowing a small lump in his throat, he nodded tersely.

"Okay."

Lavina kissed his cheek with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Hayato."

The boy just flushed and scowled at his computer screen. "So, what did you exactly…do anyways?"

The joy that enveloped his mother's face and smile was enough to keep him at bay—for now.

* * *

School was a pain in the ass.

It wasn't difficult for Hayato to catch up since academics were never an issue for him. It was just the fact that he had to be surrounded by idiots for seven hours a day that grated on his nerves. Even though he promised his mother that he'd make… _friends_ , everyone was making it difficult for him. Teachers were terrified of him—he wasn't afraid to correct them in class and who the hell wrote these textbooks?—and the female population was strangely taken with him. He wasn't all that comfortable with the lovey-dovey attention so he scared them off easily (though they always came back anyways).

All in all, it was pretty much uneventful. Takeshi always invited him to eat with him, Tsuna, and Nagi for lunch, and Hayato was always subconsciously guilt-tripped by his mother's sad smile to sit with them. Surprisingly, they weren't all that bad—well, Takeshi could get on his nerves just as much as everyone else, if not _worse_. The other boy's brain was probably just mush and Hayato wondered if he was dropped as a baby.

Tsuna was actually a bit more subdued in school, though seemed to brighten up whenever volleyball was mentioned. He had asked Hayato once about his mother's volleyball days, but never asked again when he got a terrifying glare in response. Most of the time, it was easy to forget that Nagi was even with them. She rarely spoke but when she did, Hayato had to wonder if she was some kind of ghost or a secret UMA.

When the dismissal bell rang, Hayato was always the first to leave. However, a loud shout made him stopped short.

"Gokudera-san!"

Hayato blinked when Tsuna suddenly appeared in front of him. It was always mind-boggling to see the brunet's speed so up-close, but he scowled when he remembered that the other wanted to be a libero, which was a touchy subject for the half-Italian. He remembered seeing a younger Nana in some of the videos—she sometimes blurred to the other side of the court to dive and send the ball flying back to her teammates.

"What?" Hayato said gruffly. "Hurry up and spit it out. You're wasting my time."

"Do you want to watch a volleyball match with us?" Tsuna said, his eyes shining with hope. "It's a mock match with another school, so it's not official or anything."

Hayato scowled. "Why would I want to do that?"

"Maa, it'd be fun if we could all go together!" Takeshi said, catching up with them.

Nagi trailed behind him, careful not to bump into other students. Hayato was always curious as to why she was wearing an eyepatch but kept his mouth shut. Hey, he had some tact. Give him some credit. Plus, Nagi wasn't as annoying as everyone else. She was tolerable.

"Please?" Tsuna said, clasping his hands. "I promise to never bother you for your homework for a whole week."

Hayato rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't last a week, much less a _day_."

Tsuna flailed his arms ridiculously in the air. "Yes, I can!"

"I'm not going."

Tsuna blocked him from stepping forward, his eyes suddenly flashing a golden-amber that made Hayato's breath hitch. That was most definitely a trick of the light…right?

"Please, or I'll tell Lavina-san!"

Hayato resisted the urge to roll his eyes again. How childish. He clicked his tongue.

" _Fine_. But I'm not staying long."

Tsuna grinned, pumping a fist in the air. "Yes!"

Hayato promptly flicked the small buzz of warmth in his chest and burned it to ashes. Ten minutes, he thought with gritted teeth. Just ten minutes.

"What the _hell_ is this?"

Takeshi laughed. "You shouldn't say bad words, Gokudera."

"Shut up, baseball idiot. You can't tell me what to do."

Nagi shifted uncomfortably on the bench, her bag clutched tightly to her chest. "Don't fight, Yamamoto-kun, Gokudera-san."

Her voice was so quiet, Hayato had to strain his ears to make sure he caught what she said. Either way, that didn't distract him from the very pathetic display of volleyball in front of him. Granted they were only elementary students, it was still pathetic.

"I'm leaving," he deadpanned, grabbing his bag.

Nagi widened her eye. "Oh, Gokudera-san, you shouldn't—"

"Oi, heads up!" someone shouted from the court.

Hayato could only gape when a stray volleyball soared towards his face. Suddenly, a blur of brown and blue leapt in front of him and caught the ball easily in small hands. Takeshi reached out to steady Tsuna's landing, which got him a nod and smile in thanks. The brunet frowned when he looked down at Hayato.

"Are you okay, Gokudera-san? You should be careful. Sometimes they don't really pay attention to where they spike the ball."

Hayato just blinked before sputtering out a reply. "I'm fine. You didn't have to do _that_."

He didn't like the small, knowing smile on the brunet's face, but Tsuna didn't say anything much to his relief. He threw the volleyball back to a scowling teammate and slumped down next to him.

"Thanks for catching my landing, Takeshi!" Tsuna said with a bright grin. "I could've slipped."

Takeshi gave him a thumbs-up. "No problem, Tsuna!"

Somehow, this irritated Hayato more than he realized. Without knowing why, he sat back down, trying to process what just happened. He could see why Tsuna would be a good match for a libero—he had the speed, the stamina, and the instincts. However, he didn't get why the brunet was stuck as a water boy for the (pathetic) volleyball team.

He shook his head. Why was he thinking about that all of a sudden?

"Are you okay, Gokudera-san?" Nagi said quietly.

"Fine," Hayato responded roughly.

"Tsuna-kun does that a lot."

Hayato raised a brow. "Does what?"

Nagi smiled almost mysteriously. "He's always there for his friends."

Hayato mused over her words for a few seconds. Friends… Was that what he was to Tsuna? He didn't really feel that way towards him though.

Tsuna turned towards him with a smile. "Hey, Gokudera-san, what do you think about them?"

Hayato clicked his tongue. "Terrible. Our setter is never tossing at the right height for his spikers and our blockers aren't jumping high enough. The other team is crap, too."

Tsuna laughed. "Yeah." He gazed wistfully at the court. "That makes me kind of happy that I'm not playing with them."

"Why are you just a water boy anyways? I thought you wanted to play."

Tsuna shrugged. "I thought about that, too, but I don't really want to play with them."

Hayato frowned. "Then who do you want to play with?"

A small smile curved on the brunet's lips. "Who knows? But I know it's not them."

"Sawada! What are you doing up there? Where's our water?"

Tsuna stood up. "Oh, well, duty calls! I'll be right back!"

Takeshi smiled. "No worries, Tsuna!"

Nagi nodded. "Take your time, Tsuna-kun."

After Tsuna dashed down the bleachers to pass water bottles to the frustrated players, Hayato found himself lost in deep thought. He fiddled with the ring on his finger, a birthday gift that his mother gave him last year.

"I thought you wanted to leave, Gokudera," Takeshi said with a grin.

Hayato scowled. "Shut up."

The boy just laughed. Hayato rolled his eyes and leaned his chin on top of his open palm.

Maybe, his mother was right, he thought, watching Tsuna give an enthusiastic cheer for their team that no one acknowledged.

Maybe…he could try.

* * *

 **A/N Ahhh, so sorry this one took forever! Here's a somewhat lengthy chapter for the story's brief pause, haha.**

 **Change of plans: I might go into their middle school arc a bit before they enter high school. I kind of underestimated the importance of that chapter in the characters' lives. So, expect their first match as a team soon (it's going to be a riot, lol)!**

 **As stated or hinted to in this chapter, the positions for the characters are kind of clear (plus, badass mothers, hehe!). I won't go too much into it, but I'd like to state some of my reasoning for the characters' positions:**

 **Tsuna: I decided to give him the libero position (not discounting the fact that Nishinoya is awesome!). Yes, he's short like Hinata and there's also the fact about his HDWM, but I couldn't really picture him as much of a spiker, frankly. Since the libero is responsible for a greater part of the court than the other members (all-encompassing sky, eh? Haha), he will also act as a defensive measure for the team to operate offensively. I see Tsuna as the team's main defense and helping them draw out their potential during matches. I'm not sure if this makes sense but that was how I see it, haha.**

 **Hayato: I feel like the setter is the perfect position for Gokudera. Since the setter takes on most of the responsibility for the offensive maneuvers on court, they will have to think quick on their feet and make sure everyone on their team is accounted for. Gokudera is undeniably intelligent and observant. He will know what plays his team needs to get through matches and make sure everyone knows what they're doing. Of course, there's the issue with his temper, but what athlete/person isn't without their flaws? Haha.**

 **Takeshi: There is no doubt in my mind that Takeshi would be a great opposite hitter. He is one of the taller, if not tallest, members among the guardians and I will take advantage of his height, lol. Not to mention that with his baseball experience, he will have great reflexes and be a well-rounded player, serving as both an offensive and defensive player. He is also much sharper than everyone gives him credit for, which is pointed out in canon, and would be a great asset on the front and backlines. Plus, also a great extra with the middle blocker for double blocks.**

 **Mukuro: The middle blocker/hitter was created for Mukuro, lol. He and Takeshi are the tallest members amongst the guardians and his height is a great trait for being a blocker. Plus, he would serve as the team's decoy to confuse the other team's blockers when he's on the offense, which correlates to the Mist attributes. Mukuro is also very perceptive so he would also read the opponent team's setter and predict the other team's movements. This would cement his role as a tactician for his team, along with Hayato, in my view.**

 **Kyoya: He's considered the strongest guardian so I gave him the position of ace and the outside hitter, hitting from the left side of the court. He will no doubt be a great athlete from his own physical training, but he works purely with raw strength, which will cement his reputation as a dangerous spiker. He can play both in the front and back row for his team and will be the one the setter mostly sets the ball to for scoring points. He'd be pretty above average when it comes to offense, but with defense, he'd have to work with Mukuro to block the volleyball, lol.**

 **Ryohei: Another athletic guardian with great strength, Ryohei would take the position of being the opposite hitter, hitting from the right side of the court. Like Hibari, he has raw strength that can be useful in being another spiker for the team. He is also much more cooperative than Hibari and could also act as a "backup setter" if the situation calls for it. Ryohei isn't really stupid as people would expect, just very enthusiastic, lol.**

 **I hope that the positions make sense. If you don't agree with them, I understand, but this was the way I viewed it. I didn't take their flame attributes much into account; they were only a minor factor and coincidentally matched in most cases, like Mukuro. I just tried to look at the bigger picture: their personality, height, and actual canon experience.**

 **Though these might be their positions, they won't be perfect right away. Their clashing personalities will definitely be a major obstacle, but that's what makes it fun, eh?**

 **Anyways, I can't wait to write their matches as a team, lol. It's going to be great. :^D**

 **Thank you so much for reading! Leave a comment or two if you can and I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible if you have questions.**

 **I hope to see you again in the next chapter.**

 **Have a lovely day~**

 **Little Miss Bunny**


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